Distributed processing system, control unit, processing element, distributed processing method and computer program

A control unit that controls two or more processing elements to cause them to perform distributed processing and is connected to the processing elements, comprising:

• a control line through which control information is sent and received between the control unit and the processing elements;
• and
• a data line through which data to be processed is transmitted to the processing element connected to the control unit, the data line being independent from the control line,
• wherein the control unit sends a processing content changing condition and processing content changing information to the processing element through the control line.

A processing element that is connected to two or more processing elements and performs distributed processing, comprising:

• a control line through which control information is sent and received between the processing element and a control unit;
• and
• a data line through which data to be processed is transmitted to the processing element from at least one selected from the control unit and the processing elements, the data line being independent from the control line, wherein
• the processing element has a data processing section that processes input data and outputs the processed data,
• the processing element receives a processing content changing condition and processing content changing information through the control line and monitors an information context concerning processing, and
• the processing element has a processing content changing section that changes the content of processing in the processing element based on the processing content changing information when the information concerning processing meets the processing content changing condition.

A distributed processing method using a control unit and a plurality of processing elements, comprising:

• a control information sending/receiving step in which control information is sent and received between the control unit and the processing elements;
• a processed data transmission step in which data to be processed is transmitted from at least one selected from the control unit and the processing elements to the processing element connected thereto, the processed data transmission step being independent from the control information sending/receiving step;
• a data processing step in which input data is processed in and output from the processing element;
• a step in which a content changing condition and processing content changing information are received by the control information sending/receiving step and a processing context is monitored;
• and
• a processing content changing step in which the content of processing in the processing element is changed based on the processing content changing information when the processing context meets the processing content changing condition.

A program for causing a computer to execute a distributed processing method using a control unit and a plurality of processing elements, comprising:

• a control information sending/receiving function by which control information is sent and received between the control unit and the processing elements;
• and
• a processed data transmission function by which data to be processed is transmitted from at least one selected from the control unit and the processing elements to the processing element connected thereto, the processed data transmission function being independent from the control information sending/receiving function, wherein the program causes the computer to executes the following functions:
• a data processing function by which input data is processed in and output from the processing element;
• a function by which a content changing condition and processing content changing information are received by the control information sending/receiving function and a processing context is monitored;
• and
• a processing content changing function by which the content of processing in the processing element is changed based on the processing content changing information when the processing context meets the processing content changing condition.